


Phase One

by OptimisticallyCynical



Series: Breaking The Hawk [8]
Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:34:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28829730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OptimisticallyCynical/pseuds/OptimisticallyCynical
Summary: After realizing that the rest of Cobra Kai has been slowly turning on him, Hawk decides to take matter in his own hands and turn the tables in his favour.He didn't strike first, but he'll certainly strike harder. There's no mercy for the enemy, even if they're on the same team.
Relationships: Demetri/Eli "Hawk" Moskowitz
Series: Breaking The Hawk [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2103372
Comments: 20
Kudos: 82





	Phase One

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this one up today too. Figured I'd post it since both chapters are pretty short.   
> Enjoy. 😁

Strike first.

Strike hard.

No mercy.

Be smart.

Stay fast.

Hawk had been going through this list over and over again in his head all day.

He’d barely paid attention in any of his classes, his mind constantly going over idea after idea of what he could do, of how he could get himself out of this situation he’d apparently been in for awhile and didn’t notice.

He knew that he’d missed his chance to strike first, that was made glaringly obvious with the way Kylar and Tory had been talking. But that didn’t mean that he couldn’t strike back hard.

And he knew that, yeah, they were his brothers and sisters, a bond born through their connection to the dojo, but he felt like this is where the no mercy rule would fall. Regardless of the fact that they were supposed to be teammates, if they turned on each other, than he wasn’t going to bother giving them a second chance to do it again. There was no mercy to the enemy. Did it matter if that enemy was on his side or not?

No.

He was starting to realize now that it didn’t matter if it was Cobra Kai or Miyagi do. There were enemies everywhere.

If he wanted to make sure that he was still the one standing after all of this than he couldn’t afford to be merciful.

As he’d gone over idea after idea today however something else had also come to his mind.

Just because he had to strike back hard, didn’t mean he actually had to strike at all.

Because there was also being smart. And the smart thing wasn’t to start a fight with a group he was apart of while they were already teamed up together.

Not until he could sever the bond that they had to each other.

It would be much easier to fight one on one other than all at once.

And he had to move fast.

Kylar had been telling Tory bits and pieces to turn her against him for awhile. The group had gathered behind Kylar earlier today. If he didn’t make his next set of moves soon, it would end up being to late.

And that’s why Hawk had skipped out on his last class and headed to the dojo.

It wasn’t a secret to anyone that Tory wasn’t going to school, having to go online after the whole school fight incident, and that when she wasn’t working she was more often times than not with Kreese.

Hawk wouldn’t lie, he was concerned with how much quicker she was learning thanks to the amount of time she spent practising.

Slowing down his bike as he approached the curb, he clicked it off.

Staring up at the sign his lips pressed into a thin line.

A breif memory of what he’d thought about it the first time he laid eyes on it flashed through his mind, along with countless times after that when he’d felt proud to walk under it and into the place beyond. Now whenever he so much as stepped foot on the outside sidewalk, he felt like he had to mentaly prepare himself for battle.

Kicking out his stand he got up and made his way inside.

The front of the dojo was empty, but he could hear the sound of grunting followed by solid hits against one of the punching bags in the back. 

Kicking his shoes off he casually made his way towards it.

When Tory came in sight he hung by the door, carefully watching her.

Her form had improved, as well as her strength. All of her moves were still a little slow though, her fighting style choosing to land harder which zapped some of the speed out of her recovery.

If he fought her, he was going to have to keep moving. He had a lot more endurance than she did. Her strength took a lot of energy. The best option would be to tire her out and make the final hit.

But not right now.

Pushing himself off of the frame he made his way into the room.

“You mind if I take a turn?”

She didn’t start at his sudden appearance, only drawing back her fists and turning to face him. She was panting heavily, her fists were bright red and raw, but not bloody.

“Shouldn’t you still be in class?”

“What are you? My mom?” He’d chosen his words carefully, using them to cut her without making it seem like it was just an offhanded comment. “Couldn’t be there anymore.” He made his tone lighter, softer. “Kylar was starting to piss me off.”

Tory didn’t say anything, just watched him as he dropped his bag and started to peel off his shirt.

“He texted me earlier.” Hawk had figured as much.

“Oh yeah? And let me guess,” He landed a few hard hits, finishing it off with a wicked outside hook kick. “Something to do with me protecting Demetri?”

There was the slightest change in her face, but it was there.

He let out a bitter sounding chuckle, shaking his head before going back to the bag.

“I thought that would piss him off.”

He allowed his words to sit between them, turning back to taking out his ‘frustration’ on the bag.

It was only once he’d been going for a long enough while that he built up a fair amount of sweat and he could feel his knuckles getting slick with blood that he forced himself to stop.

Panting lightly he held his hands by his sides, allowing the blood to drip to the floor.

“I know that Demetri’s the enemy.” He didn’t turn to face her, keeping his voice low so she would have to listen. “But I don’t agree with attacking people who aren’t apart of this, who aren’t even there to protect themselves just so someone else can use them to hurt others.”

“What are you talking about?” She sounded more irritated than confused, but still interested enough that Hawk turned to face her.

“Kylar wanted to use Demetri’s Mom’s illness to make fun of him in front of the school.” At the mention of an ill mother, he could see the faint bob of her throat as she swallowed.

This had to be a new low.

But she was the enemy.

And there was no mercy for the enemy.

Strike hard.

Taking in a deep breath, Hawk pushed down his guilt and continued forward.

“It pissed me off.” He shrugged. “So I told him he’s not allowed to bother Demetri anymore. He’s always loved bothering Demetri so I knew it would irritate him.”

Again, they didn’t speak. He allowed her to think over his words, tired with the bag and moving over to fix up his hands.

Sensei would kill him if he left the blood there to cake to the leather.

As he picked up the first aid kit from the counter he leaned against the wall, once again facing her.

“I don’t know why Kylar thinks it’s funny to go after people’s parents.” He muttered, appearing quite put out. “What he’s said about my parents, what he’s said about your mom, I just don’t get it.” Tory let out a small sound at the mention of her mother, but Hawk continued before she could say anything. “It just seems pathetic to me.” Finished with his hands he put the kit back, moving back across the room towards Tory with slow, casual strides. “I thought the Cobra way was to face your enemies head on.” He scoffed, seeming disappointed. “I don’t think that Kylar gets that like you and I do.”

He was standing right before her now, their eyes burning into each other. He could see it though, the smallest amount of vulnerability hidden well behind the burning rage that he was familiar with.

“We don’t rely on cheap shots to bring our enemies pain. It’s to easy.”

He could see the way she tensed, how her fists shook slightly at her side, but for once, she didn’t seem interested in turning her hate towards Hawk. Instead there was a glaze over her eyes, her mind in another place entirely.

It was hard to keep the smile off of his face as he took a step back and away from her.

Neither of them spoke as he left the room to get a cloth to wipe up the blood.

But he knew that every conversation she shared with Kylar was running through her mind, that she was trying to think about any time she might have accidentally mentioned that might be used against her.

That she was questioning the trust she’d placed in Kylar.

Perfect.


End file.
